Biomaterials, Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine

This scientific area integrates a set of technologies and tools, which have as a common point the controlled interaction, at the micro and nanoscale, of complex constructs with biomolecules, cells and tissues. High impact applications in biotechnology and medicine are the goal, in particular in the development of novel strategies for biodiagnostics and regenerative medicine.

This area is organized into four Thematic Areas

i) Biomaterials are primarily used for medical applications, but they are also  used as scaffolds to grow cells in culture, to assay for blood proteins in the  clinical laboratory, in processing biomolecules in biotechnology, in  diagnostic gene arrays, and for investigational cell-based "biochips." 

ii) Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers, where unique phenomena enable novel applications.

iii) Nanobiotechnology consists on the application  of nanotechnology concepts to biological sciences, in lab-on-a-chip  systems, novel biosensors, nanoparticles for drug delivery, surface  functionalization, etc.

iv) Regenerative Medicine is focused on the repair,  replacement or regeneration of cells, tissues or organs to restore impaired  function resulting from any cause, including congenital defects, disease,  trauma and ageing. It uses a combination of several converging  technological approaches, and moves beyond traditional transplantation  and replacement therapies.

Education

This scientific area is involved in the undergraduate formation in  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, including in the degrees in Biological  Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, as well as in advanced doctoral and postdoctoral training in the field.

Research

Students, at all levels, do have the opportunity to actively participate in research training in the laboratories of the Stem Cell Engineering Research Group (SCERG) and of BioEngineering  Research Group (BERG) of the Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences  (IBB), at IST, in the INESC-MN micro and nanofabrication cleanroom facilities,  and in the Institute of Telecommunications (IT).